Over 365,000 Sri Lankans unemployed: PM

Over 365,000 Sri Lankans unemployed: PM

Xinhua
26 Nov 2025, 13:45 GMT+

COLOMBO, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- A total of 365,951 Sri Lankans are currently unemployed, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya told Parliament on Wednesday.

She said the unemployment rate for the first quarter dropped to 3.8 percent, down from 4.5 percent during the same period in 2024. The rate for the second quarter also stood at 3.8 percent, compared with 4.7 percent a year earlier.

According to the Prime Minister, 42,254 people with a university degree or higher qualification remain unemployed. She added that the government has already recruited more than 12,000 graduates into the public sector as part of its employment program.

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